The Daily Star is publishing this story a day late. For that, we owe an explanation to our readers. The news was extremely important in that it dealt with an institution and a person who brought the highest honour and accolade for Bangladesh. We seriously read the story that was released by a news agency. This newspaper wanted to verify the allegations and get an explanation from the organisation that stands accused. Moreover, this newspaper wanted to read the documents available and be sure about what has been levelled against the person and the organisation. What we have found is interesting.

Surging prices for staple foods in 2008 and 2010 may be just a foretaste of the future as the impacts of climate change and population growth combine, a report issued at the UN talks in Cancun said on Wednesday.

A teenage boy died in police custody at city's Jatrabari five days into his detention on November 30 at Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) allegedly from police torture claimed his family members, yesterday.

Two years have elapsed and police are yet to reveal the mystery behind the fire incident that killed Ganotantri Party President Nurul Islam and his son Tamohor Islam at their Lalmatia residence in the city on December 3, 2008.

Parbatya Chattagram Jana Sanghati Samiti (PCJSS) president Jyotirindra Bodhipriya Larma yesterday called upon the indigenous people to strengthen the movement for implementation of the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) peace accord to establish their rights.

Construction work of the 84-kilometre marine drive from Cox's Bazar to Teknaf has been suspended as the communications ministry yesterday decided to conduct a comprehensive study and work out a revised design to protect the road from tidal surge.

In a secret memo from 1998 beats the Norwegian Embassy in Bangladesh alarm: Peace Prize winner Yunus has quietly tapped the Grameen Bank -- the poor bank -- for 608 million aid dollars, and moved the money into a company that Norwegians have never heard of.

Myanmar and Thailand are cooperating in building a deep seaport, industrial zone and road and rail link to Thailand in southern Tanintharyi region following the signing of a framework agreement on the Dawei deep seaport and its related infrastructure.

Editorial

If ever there was a moment for BNP to introspect and seriously look within for a renewal of their party's politics, the time is now. It is true that the party is in disarray but it will be mistake to think that it has lost its capacity to play a major role in the future politics of Bangladesh. There is no denying that BNP is facing perhaps the most serious crisis in its short but eventful life. But it is a crisis that the party has enough internal strength and public support for it to recover from.

The move by the Dhaka University authorities to recommend the dismissal of six teachers from service because of the latter's staying abroad and not reporting back for duty once more draws attention to an old issue. This is not for the first time that DU has spoken of action against academics who, once they go abroad, at some point decide not to return home. There have been recurrent reports down the years of many of these teachers (there are exceptions, of course) finishing their higher studies abroad and then taking up employment there. The fact that not all of them may be taking up jobs at the university level, that in fact they might be veering off into other kinds of work, is irrelevant. What matters is that by not returning to their actual places of work, in this case Dhaka University, they are certainly displaying a poor sense of responsibility to themselves and to their students.

A third tour of Bangladesh in the space of two years has begun well for Ray Price. The left-arm spinner picked up two wickets in another economical 10-over spell that was pivotal in Zimbabwe's nine-run win in the first one-dayer.

Favourites India and hosts Bangladesh will start their SAFF Women's Football Championship campaign in the same group after the lots were drawn for the first of its kind regional tournament yesterday at the Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF).

China is making a bid to host its first major international cricket event by showing interest in staging the 2012 Asia Cup in Guangzhou, the venue that hosted the first-ever Asian Games cricket tournament in November.

Marseille failed to capitalise on the chance to pull clear at the top of the French table when Didier Deschamps' defending champions were held to a goalless draw by Rennes at their Stade Velodrome on Wednesday.

Inter Milan chairman Massimo Moratti on Wednesday reflected that former striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic "left Inter the wrong year" as the club completed a rare treble under Jose Mourinho while the player struggled to impress after joining Barcelona.

Business

In the first nine months of this year, the banking sector exceeded the whole year's target for giving loans to small and medium enterprises (SME) -- but only thanks to a new definition of SME loan, according to some bankers.

The key index of Dhaka Stock Exchange, DSE General Index (DGEN), reached another new high at 8,838 points, as the stocks continued to gain for third straight sessions yesterday, the week's last trading day.

Bangladesh has achieved remarkable success for improving its regulation and control of veterinary drugs in shrimp farming as well as for the development of a unique traceability system under public private partnership (PPP), said a government official.

Metropolitan

A meeting to discuss projects under the suppliers' credit yesterday did not consider any of the project proposals submitted by three divisions of the planning commission for non-compliance with the guidelines of the Economic Relations Division (ERD).

Film actor Monwar Hossain Dipjol, also a Dhaka city corporation (DCC) councillor, admitted assaulting an on-duty traffic police constable at gunpoint and apologised for the offences during a one-day remand yesterday, said police.

Patients with cardiovascular diseases will get primary treatment at all public district hospitals to reduce the referral hospital's pressure which increased tremendously, said Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr AFM Ruhal Haque yesterday.

Odhikar, a rights organisation, expressed concern over human rights situation in the country, as it observes unabated extra-judicial killings and disappearances of people following arrests by law enforcers.

The Supreme Court stayed till March 10 next year the High Court order that had halted the effectiveness of preconditions issued by the Dhaka University (DU) authorities restricting the Madrasa students to appear for its 'Kha' and 'Gha' units' admission tests.

National

Leaders of Parbatya Chattagram Jana Sanghati Samity (PCJSS) yesterday once again urged the government to take steps for full implementation of Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) peace accord signed on December 2 in 1997.

A court here on Wednesday sentenced a man to death and three of his accomplices to life tern imprisonment for killing his wife at Kodalia village under Mollarhat upazila of the district on April 8, 2006.

The alleged killer of mine-year-old Farzana Akter Mila of Ekabbarpur under Pirganj upazila in a statement to court on Wednesday confessed to killing the girl on October 13 in a bush as she tried to scream during a rape attempt.

Letters

In the backdrop of the recent news item in DS about the poisoning, netting and sale of guest birds in Hakaluki and presumably in other wetlands as well, it was a pleasant surprise to see on Eid Day, a flock of about 200-300 white egrets suddenly appearing in the Niketon Lake. They fly in every day at 6.45 am exactly and leave at dusk giving Dhakabashis a rare sight in their midst.

Once again Bangladesh cricket team has followed their dreams to win the first ever gold for the country in any Asian Games. Every good news boosts our confidence and light a candle in the otherwise dismal milieu marked by traffic jam, poverty stricken faces and the highway of success choked with dirt, filth and corruption. On the financial front, Bangladesh's leading ship building company, Western Marine Shipyard, raised us from our image of ship breaker to ship builder by delivering two ocean-going vessels to its German owner, Grona Shipping GmbH Co KG.

Private University Act has opened a new opportunity for higher education in our country. Jamir Uddin Sirkar, the then Honourable Education Minister, amended the bill in the parliament in 1992. To date there are 51 private universities in our country. Millions of students, whose future was gloomy, got admitted there. They are becoming highly qualified and skilled manpower. Today, they have replaced unlettered and unskilled manpower of the country and become the “income ladder” for Bangladesh in the international job market.

Provocation and persecution, seems to occupy the major time and effort of our two major political parties, AL and BNP; both headed by women at loggerheads with a "tit for tat" performance, based more on personal rather than political reasons. Engulfed in this environment, they do not hesitate to ignore the rule of law, whenever in opposition. Now one of the top BNP leaders, a lawyer of repute has advised and suggested to sort out all issues in street battles!

There had been violence against women all over the world in all ages. Bangladesh is a developing country where most of the people are not educated. Moreover, political conflicts, ideological conflicts, poverty, etc. are some of the reasons behind this. Every day we find the sad and shameful news of violence against women in the newspapers. Acid throwing, domestic violence, rape and sexual abuse, abduction, etc., are very common incidents. Violence against women has become a never-ending issue. It is our responsibility to make people aware about this social evil.

The recent visit by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in Muslim costume to Sheikh Zayed grand mosque in Abu Dhabi has added a new dimension to multi-faith dialogue and religious tolerance. While deeply appreciating the Queen's noble gesture and goodwill, I would also laud the dynamic role of the UAE President, His Highness Sheikh Khakifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan for his sincere efforts towards expanding the great values of Islam throughout the world.

On November 22, a report was published on The Daily Star that said 40 trees were razed on JU campus; the authorities said they had cleared the view of university Shaheed Minar. We are keen to know the fact behind the razing of the trees. If the university authorities act like this, what would others do?

I am a student of The Aga Khan School, Dhaka, studying in grade-6 and I just want to ask- can't life be fresh and beautiful with clean air? Carbon-dioxide, nitrogen, methane and a lot of harmful gases are in the air. The cars, buses and taxis are using petrol and other harmful gases polluting the air. People are smoking everywhere. We have to breathe this polluted air!

Is Gulshan / Banani a piece of Europe/USA in Dhaka? A handful of people are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer day by day. When and how will we be able to follow and accept the article 19(2) of our sacred Constitution, which says, 'The State shall adopt effective measures to remove social and economic inequality between man and man to ensure the equitable distribution of wealth among citizens and of opportunities in order to attain a uniform level of economic development throughout the republic?” How and when will we be successful in building a Sonar Bangla?

It is shocking to read The Daily Star's view on Begum Khaleda Zia's eviction. It says Khaleda Zia's eviction from her cantonment residence is a personal matter and she should have returned the house by herself.

There are mainly two types of public buses plying on city streets, these are: seating service buses and local buses. During office time the driver and the helper of local bus raise the fare declaring their buses as seating service buses. The seated passengers also support them. As a result, most of the commuters cannot get on the buses. Generally the bus starts with no vacant seat from the first stoppage in rush hours. The helplessness of people who wait for the bus at different stoppages is beyond description.

The other day my grandmother offered me to have a glass of mango juice. The juice was purely blended. Just as I was about to sip it in, something caught my eyes. The glass was an ordinary small sized one and it contained a whole mango which only filled one fourth of it.

It has come to my attention that a few atheists' remarks about religion are very hostile. I do not want to argue with these “intellectuals” on either the scientific compatibility of the Qur'an or the fallacy of evolution. Instead, I wish to take a different approach. If they are not concerned about religion, why are they the first ones to talk about it and spend time on it? Sometimes, it seems like they need people to agree with them so that they feel a little less guilty (and more confident) about their assertions. There is so much hostility in their remarks directed to the Muslims. Their remarks are just creating greater division among people.

International

Britain offered the United States a deal to keep stocks of cluster bombs on its territory despite London signing up to an international ban on the weapons, a US cable leaked by WikiLeaks said yesterday.

Arts & Entertainment

Joya Ahsan, who stepped into showbiz as a model, has completed a decade of acting. She has made her way to the top and cemented her position as an actress. Joya has also worked in a Bengali feature film, “Guerilla”. Her TV plays and tele-films aired on the last Eid were remarkable in terms of quality.

Leading cultural organisation Chhayanaut has decided to open up its main auditorium as a theatre stage. From now on, popular theatre productions by noted troupes will be staged at the Chhayanaut Shangskriti Bhaban Auditorium, Dhanmondi, Dhaka on a regular basis informed Khailrul Anam Shakil, general secretary of Chhayanaut.

History and cultured based organisation 'Ekaturer Jatri' will go in for the publication of poems based on our Liberation War, says a press release. Young and veteran poets' works will find a place in the publication. The organisation aims to publish the book on the occasion of the upcoming Ekushey Boi Mela. Poets can send their poems to the address mentioned below:

OP-ED

Victor Biaka-Boda, a witch doctor from Ivory Coast, was elected to the French Senate in 1948. After spending two years in Paris he returned home and toured his nation's hinterlands. He wanted to touch base with his electorate who were long complaining about food shortage. Biaka-Boda never returned from the tour because the hungry constituents ate the man. Truth is always stranger than fiction.

The UN Secretary-General has presented options for raising $100 billion a year to promote development while fighting climate change. This is timely, but for such funds to make a difference, we must get past a set of myths that prevent the efficient use of resources

In his book, Diplomacy, Henry Kissinger says that in the twentieth century no country has influenced international relations as decisively and at the same time as ambivalently as the United States. No society has more firmly insisted on the admissibility of intervention in the domestic affairs of other states, or more passionately asserted that its own values were universally applicable. That was precisely the foreign policy trend of the US in the twentieth century.

The issue of transit has been given special emphasis in the joint communiqué signed by the premiers of India and Bangladesh in January. The issue has again come up due to seizure of two Indian ships by Bangladesh customs in October 2010 because they refused to pay transit fee as stipulated by a fee structure determined by the National Board of Revenue in line with the agreements reached in the communiqué.

The booming smartphone market shows no sign of slowing but manufacturers will have to fight hard to keep their customers as smartphone owners show little loyalty to their current brands, a GfK survey shows.

EU regulators opened a formal investigation into Google on Tuesday, putting pressure on the world's top Internet search engine to offer concessions to settle antitrust complaints and avert a lengthy battle like Microsoft.